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Paula Penna (Director; Voice/Piano/Early Childhood Music Specialist)
Master of Music Education degree in music education/arts administration (full scholarship), Florida State University School of Music. Bachelor of Music degree in music education, Manhattanville College, NY. Further studies in vocal performance at the Hartt School, University of Hartford. Taught in the public schools of New York and Connecticut for 7 years; has taught voice and piano for 19 years. Holds permanent certification in PreK-12 music education, State of New York and provisional certification in PreK-12 music education, State of Connecticut. Supervisory experience includes post as Associate Director of Educational Outreach at Manhattan School of Music, New York City. As a clinician, Vocal Soloist Adjudicator for the Nutmeg Show Choir Festival, Connecticut. Member of CMEA, MTNA, MENC, Musical Club of Hartford. Honors include Pi-Kappa Lambda International Music Honor Society, Full Scholarship and Teaching Assistantship, FSU, and the Presser Foundation Scholarship.
Ms. Penna is happiest when around children, and absolutely loves the art and craft of teaching music. She resides in Manchester with her two musical daughters, ages 8 and 11. Ms. Penna can be emailed directly at paulap@musicmakersacademy.com
Kathy Stumpf (Voice, Piano, Violin, Early Childhood Music/Office Manager)
Kathy can be seen at MusicMakers Monday through Saturday, as she both teaches and manages our office in a highly professional, dedicated manner. Kathy's students benefit from her enthusiasm and passion for teaching, coupled with her organizational skills and ability to keep students focused and on task. Kathy received her degree in vocal performance/music from the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford. Also a fine violinist and pianist, Kathy teaches all three instruments, as well as our Mini-MusicMakers classes. Kathy can be reached in our office at kathryn@musicmakersacademy.com.
Susan Knapp Thomas (Harp)
Susan Knapp Thomas, harpist, received her Bachelor of Music Degree from the Eastman School of Music, and is a well-known Chamber, Orchestral and Solo Concert Artist and teacher throughout Connecticut and Southern New England. Susan maintains an active seasonal schedule with The Hartford Symphony and the Waterbury Symphony, and performed as harpist for the U.S. Coast Guard Band from 1987-2002. Ms. Thomas is also on the faculty of Central Connecticut State University. Several of her students are repeat winners of several area competitions, and perform regularly. She has coached many student ensembles, and since 2002 has developed, marketed and run her own yearly student summmer course program. Her students were first and second and third prize winners in the American Harp Society Connecticut Chapter Harp Competition in the spring of 2005. Ms. Thomas is a regular contributing writer to "The Harp Column" magazine.
Ms. Thomas lives in Bloomfield with her husband, Brad, and their Australian Shepherds, Tillie and Pepper. When not playing the harp, Susan enjoys training and trialing her dogs in the sport of agility, traveling with her husband and anything outdoors. Please see Susan's website Susan Knapp Thomas
Maria Yates (Voice/Piano/Guitar/Bass Guitar/Trumpet)
Bachelor of Music, Music Engineering Technology, Ball State University. Maria is a multi-talented musician on several instruments and voice who has been teaching around the country for 9 years. She is an avid composer who also performs in area bands. In addition to her musical career, Maria has a strong interest in astronomy/physics and has been a Planetarium Performer at the Childrens Museum of West Hartford. Maria recently developed a non-profit organization which organizes and presents multicultural concerts and events, called Rock yer Socks!. In addition, Maria is also the Tech Director at the Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford. Maria resides here in Manchester.
Rebecca McNair Calissi (Piano/Voice)
Rebecca McNair received her undergraduate degree in Piano Performance from Huntingdon College and a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. As a member of the Music Teachers National Association, she has taught piano in both summer music camp and private studio capacities and has accompanied vocalists and ensembles throughout Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Connecticut in such venues as Guilford College and Take Note choral ensemble. Past performances have included winning the Helen Boykin Piano Competition as well as the premieres of new works for piano at the 2006 Society of Composer's Conference. Rebecca is also on faculty of Eastern Connecticut State University with her husband, Jeff Calissi. Together they form "Una Duo", a marimba/piano duet and play throughout the state.
Grethen Taubl (Viola, Violin, Piano)
GRETCHEN TAUBL, Violin, Viola, Suzuki. BM (Viola
Performance), Hartt School of Music; MM Candidate
(Performance with Suzuki Pedagogy Emphasis) The Hartt
School of Music. First prize winner, Lake Winnipesaukee
Young Artists Competition; Honorable Mention,
American String Teachers Association State
Competition; Honorable Mention, New England String
Ensemble Competition. Former violin/ viola faculty,
Fellowship Christian Academy. Currently substitute
teacher and chamber music coach, Violin/Viola at The
Hartt School Community Division. Member of the Taubl
Family Ensemble for ten years, touring the U. S. Major
teachers: Louise Wear, Linda Fiore, Jennifer Sterling,
Asya Meshberg, Eugene Becker, Toby Appel, Steve
Larson, Chauncey Patterson, Kathy Robinson, Keith
Robinson, Ivan Chang, Richard Shillea, John Wion,
Robert Black, Anton Miller, Anthea Kreston, Melinda
Daetsch, Sharon Dennison, Teri Einfeldt.
Gretchen and her family, The Taubl Family, were seen on tv in 2008 on America's Got Talent, where they were in the top 10. See Gretchen's website at http://www.thetaublfamily.com. The Taubl Family Website!
Nick Cutroneo (Guitar)
Mr. Cutroneo graduated from the Juilliard Pre-College where he studied with Antigoni Goni and is currently attending the Hartt School of Music for completion of his Masters in Music and as a member of the prestigious 20/20 chamber ensemble, studying with Richard Provost and Christopher Ladd. Known for being a "communicative player with natural musicality," Nick Cutroneo is an up and coming classical guitarist of the new generation.
An active performer, he has had notable performances at The Juilliard School of Music,The Hartt School of Music, Christ Church in New Brunswick, NJ, the Miller Chapel at Princeton's Theological Seminary in NJ. In the summer of 2007, he was invited to participate with an international group of students at the Volterra Guitar Project in Tuscany, Italy. He was named finalist in the Hartt Schools 2008 Paranov Concerto Competition and semifinalist at the Boston GuitarFest 2008. He has also performed at Yale's "Guitar Day," the Connecticut Classical Guitar Society's "Guitar Extravaganza Weekend," and several alumni events at the University of Hartford.
Mr. Cutroneo maintains an active private teaching studio at MusicMakers Academy in Manchester, CT. He also performs regularly at assisted living facilities providing solo recitals for the residents. Mr. Cutroneo has performed in master classes with Andrew York, William Kanengiser, Ana Vidovic, Carlos Bonell, Carlo Marchione and most recently with Manuel Barrueco and Oscar Ghiglia.
Nick is also obtaining his certificate in Suzuki Guitar Pedagogy and thoroughly enjoys teaching students of all ages, including our youngest, budding guitarists.
For more information visit Nicks website: www.nickcutroneo.com. Nick's Website
Abigail Blough (Piano/Sound Beginnings)
Abigail is a loving, kind teacher who teaches with focus and patience. Both adult students and our youngest students in our Sound Beginnings program find Abigail to be an excellent teacher. Abigail is receiving her degree from St. Joseph's, where she studies history and music. Homeschooled, Abigail has focused on music her entire life and brings that focus to her teaching methodology.
Jonathan Chatfield (Piano)
Bachelor of Arts, piano performance/jazz studies, Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. Certified music teacher, grades k-12, with concentration in vocal direction. Jonathan has been a sought-after piano teacher for 11 years in Connecticut and Ohio. Pianist Jonathan Chatfield attended the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music where he majored in jazz piano performance. Now a resident of West Hartford, he also teaches piano at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Performing Arts. Jonathan has recorded with Larry Coryell, Joel Rosenblatt, Lenny White and DJ Logic and performed with Claudio Roditti.
Well versed in the styles of both Latin and American Jazz, Jonathan began his study of Latin Jazz with now Grammy winner Charles Florez.
Jonathan has also taught music at Avon High School, Kingswood-Oxford High School, the Learning Corridor, and the Center for Creative Youth. He is an avid performer, with credits including the Hartford Jazz Festival, Baltimore Blues Festival, Bluestock Festival (Memphis), Mohegan Sun Wolf Den, and CD credits on the Verve Label.
Bonnie St. Germain (Piano)
At the age of 22, a friend of Bonnie's offered to give her piano lessons. From the very first lesson, she had a love for the piano. After 2 years of taking lessons she went to college and graduated with a BA in Music. Since graduating in 2003, she has continued to study the piano and has taught in music studios throughout Connecticut. After studying the piano for 14 years and some of those years with master teachers, her intent desire is to pass on that knowledge and the love for the piano to her students. Bonnie loves to teach children as well as adults, whom she can relate to as she also started her serious musical studies in adulthood.
Julie Hill (Violin/Piano)
Master of Music degree in violin, Ithaca College. Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance and pedagogy, Eastman School of Music, NY. Julie has been teaching for over 30 years, both privately and in public and parochial schools. She taught kindergarten and 6th grade in public schools in Glastonbury, Willimantic and Newington. In addition to her career in music, Julie also has had a successful 17-year career in banking.
Elise Meltzer (Voice, Piano)
Elise has a gorgeous, full, resonant and beautiful voice and with her superb technique can teach anyone and everyone to sing. Elise received her degree in vocal performance from the prestigious music school of Carnegie Melon University. Elise has recently been accepted into the A.R.C. program, through which she will receive her certification to teach music in the public schools, as well. Elise has a very warm, kind, lighthearted personality with a wonderful sense of humor, and has the unique blend of also being a precise, structured teacher.
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